Shuttle



ROWN 2,385,756 I Sept. 25, 1 945.

INVENTOR. CARL D. BROWN- 4 I ATTORNEY Sept. 25, 1945. i D. BROWN INVENTOR. BY CARL D. BROWN ATTORNEY illustrated herein, relates 'struction shown in Fig. 1

Patented Sept. 25, 1945 NT OFFICE,

Y SHUTTLE "Carl D. Brown, Hopedale, Mass, assignor to .Draperfiorporation, Hopedale, Mass, a corporation of Maine Application October 28, 1944, Serial No. 560,804

.s Claims. (o1.1s9 223) The present invention relates generally to shuttles for automatic 'bobbinchanging looms and, as a a more particularly to threading devices for such shuttles. a Looms of the type above referred to comprise a shuttle carrying a bobbin, a magazine holding a reserve bobbin in transferring position; and means for transferring said bobbin when the supply of filling on the bobbin in the shuttle is "substantiallyexhausted; The filling end of the new or reserve bobbin extends above the shuttles to a suitable holder. o

In prior devices as usea commercially; the threading devices are so constructed that the shuttle will become only partially threaded durmg the first pick after transfer and then-during the next or return piclr will become completely threaded and the fillingthread will be carried down into the side' deii very eyein the front wall of the shuttle. This failure to thread completely durin the first pick is inherent in commercial" shuttles and it often occurs'that the shuttlewill unthread from its partiially threaded position. When this occurs, the filling nearly'always will break during the'next pick. condition does not arise very frequently but even occasional unth r eading resultsin reduced efficiency of loom operation. H It has been proposed to eliminate the possibility of such unthr'eading by providing the loom with various devices which will effect complete threading of the shuttle at: the time of transfer or shortly thereafter. Such devices, however, have not been commercially successful since they have been unduly complicated and have not operated satisfactorily o One object-of the present invention, accordingly, is to provide a shuttle with means which will cause the shuttle to be threaded during the first pick after transfer of a new bobbin thereto. To this end and in accordance with one feature of the invention, the present shuttle is pro-- vided withfilling thread engaging and guiding means which will be effective durin the first pick after transfer to deliver the filling to the side delivery eye. 4

With the above and otherobjects and features in view, the invention will'now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which:

Fig 1 is a plan view of aportion of a shuttle embodying the presentinvention;

. Fig. 2 is aview in frontelevation of the con- Fig. 3 is a view in section taken along line IIIIII of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 4 is a View in IV-IV of Fig.2;

Fig. 5 is a view in v v of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a view'in VIVI of Fig. 2; I V

Fig. 7 is a detail view in front elevati trating one form of 1 sidedelivry eye;- a

Fig. 8 is a view in section taken along line VIII-VIII arms. 7;" j v 1 a Fig. 9 is a view in section illustrating a preferred form of side eye trap; and v Fig. 10 is a perspective view thereof:

The present invention is illustrated "as embodied in a shuttle l0 having a cavity l2'in which a fillin carrying bobbin 1 4 is releasably supported. The cavity [2 terminates in an outer reduced portion leading toa curved thread pa ssage l6. This passag'elat'its inner end E im nates at substantially the longitudinal central line of the shuttle and curves forwardly and outwardly and terminates at the'sidedelivery' eye 18 of the shuttle. x

The thread passage" I76, as illustrated, i s relatively narrowjthroughout, its length and also throughout the major portion of its vertical' extent as is clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. {The transverse dimension of the passagey however, may be ,variedwithin wide lirnits, as williater become apparent. Thelower, portion 'i fl of the section taken along line section taken along line section taken along line e uspassage I6 is of substantialwidthand' is substantially oval in crossfsection. A pin 2 '2.is driven into the shuttle Ill-near the inner end of the passage l6 and projects into the lower portion 20 of the passage lfi as shown best in Fig. 5.. V .The pin 22 forms a post, on which' the 'fillingbears as itruns through theshuttle during operation of theloom. v o

The front wall 24. of the passage (6 isxpreferably inclinedslightly rearwardly and downward ly and is curved outwardly andlforwardly on' an arc of approximately two inches in radius. The rear wall 26 is. preferably parallel to.:the front wall and is spaced therefrom aLdistance which is at least'somewhat greater that the diameter of the heaviest or. coarsest yarn which will .be used in the shuttle. The width of thepassage .16 formed by the walls 24 and 26 may, however, be substantially wider if so desired since the wall 28 does not affect directly the threadingwofthe shuttle. i a The passage. I6 is provided .with ,a'wir'e, guide 28 which .isarranged to bear againsttheifront wall 24 with moderate pressure. Referring now to Fig. 6, the outer end 'of the guide wire 28 is the .hole 30, the reduced lower end of the hole,

30 preventing the knot or loop from pulling through. J The wire 28 is then threaded through the thread passage l6.

looped and the trap 46 thus provides an effective anchorage for the wire 28. The trap 46 is driven V shuttle in line with the opening 54 in the bottom of the trap member 46 to provide convenient means1for threadingthe'wire v28 through the Tension is applied to the wire" 28 by a screw 34 '(Figs. 1, 5 and 6) which isthre'aded into a hole 31. A downwardly and rearwardly inclined the twoholes mentioned just above. This third hole is of a size sufficient to permitthe' end of the wire 28, to be threaded through a hole 38 in V the wall 24 and isinclined downwardly and forwardly between the forward ends of the holes 30 and 36.

The shuttle is partially threaded-whentran'sfer ,of a bobbin iscompleted. The wire guide 2t; en-

gages the filling F as the shuttle Ill is picked out of the right. hand shuttle box after the bobbin has been transferred. During this pick, the filling F is deflected forwardly and downwardlyinto the side delivery eye- 18. The top surface of the shuttle on either side' of the passage I6 is smooth and .does; not interfere with the deflection of the thread into the side delivery eye l8. The tension.

of the wire is sufficient to flatten the filling thread F which forms inefiect a trough or'groove which slides along the guide wire 28. In other. words, the resistance to further deformation of the filling F is; greater than resistance to sliding movement along said wire. 'Thus,'during the first pick'after 7 transfer, the filling F will be deliveredinto the threaded. v

In'thec clusive,.the side deliveryeye I8 is provided with onstruction shown in Figs. 1 the, in

46 from the shuttle.

into a suitable opening formed in the front 'wall of the shuttle Ill and is maintained in said position by friction. A hole-56 is provided in the "opening 54 without removing the trap member The above described trap 46 is not claimed herein since it is described and claimed in an application filed in .the names of James Gardiner Allen and Antonio Villani, Serial "#560,803; filed October 28, 1944.

7 The various parts have been described in detail but it may be' well for a clearer understandhole 36-extends from the inner top end 'iportionf. i-ng of;the invention to outline briefly the threadof the back wall 26 of the thread passage l6. A. I third hole 35 extends horizontally and intersects v ing of the shuttle during the first pick after trans- "fer; When a new bobbin is transferred into the shuttle III, the endof. the filling F is held in posi-,

tion above the shuttle by a suitable holder and the filling end F isfed into the thread passage l6. Thus, the shuttle I0 is partially threaded at the completion of the transferring operation. When theshuttle: I I) ispickedout of the shuttle box after the; transferring operation; is completed,

.the filling thread F is deflected forwardly and downwardly into the side delivery eye l8. In actual practice it is found that the shuttle is'completely threaded during the first eight inches of movement as it is picked out of the shuttle box, but, although such early threading is desirable, it is not essential, since, if the threading is completed before the first pick after transfer is completed-satisfactory operation of the loom will result. 7 V I a j a -Having thus described my invention what I claimf as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States is: 3 V V a 4o T1..A shuttle for an automatic bobbin changing loom-having a side delivery; eye and a forwardly and outwardly extending passage communicating with saidside delivery eye and arranged-to side delivery eye andthe shuttle-is completely apair of posts 42, '44,against which the filling I Fruns-as the shuttle is picked back and forth across the loom. These pins are of usual construction and need not be further described herein. i 7

Under some conditionsthe may become unthreaded and to avoid this difliculty fillin trap 46 has been provided in the side.delivery;-=

, eye; This trap46 is generally cup-shaped and pass'age 16. The slot '50 terminatesin a circular jend'portion which defines a hook 52 under which the .filling- ,F. is threaded and which forms an eifective. thread trap. The slot 50 being in line withthe thread passage IB'permits. easy thread- -1ng of they shuttle while the hook 52, under which the filling. F is threaded, effectively. prevents un threading of the'shu'ttle. i

;The .trap 46, a s shown bestinliigQQ, is pr ided:

. pickafter transfer. 7 r

, tially inlineg-with the slot forming the thread receive an incoming fillingend during the first pick of the shuttle after transfer ofa- -bobbin thereto, and a flexible guiding member bearing against "one wall ofsaid passage and arranged.

to deflect said filling end forwardly and downwardlyiinto said side delivery eye during said first pick after transfer. 7

- '2IA shuttle for anautomatiebobbin changing V loomhaving a' side delivery eye anda forwardly and outwardly extending passage communicating with said side delivery eye and arranged to receive an incoming filling end during the 'first pickof the'shuttle after transfer" of, a'bobbin thereto, and {aflexible wire member bearing against-and cooperating with one wall of said passageand arranged -to apply pressure to 7 said filling' cnd to deflect it forwardly and downward 'ly into said-.side' deliver'y eye. during said first V '3. ,A shuttle for an ma as bobbin ch ng ng loom l'iavin'g aside delivery eye and a forwardly and outwardl extending passage communicat-- ing with said side ,,delivery,eye and arranged to receive an incoming filling; end during the first pick of .thelshuttle after transfer of a bobbin thereto,- said passage being" curved 'and having a V forwardconvex wall, and a wire guide member bearing againstsaid convexiwall throughoutthe with an opening. 54,111 the" closed end48 which receives'the'wire 28. i The wire '26 isfknctted or greater portionof said convex wall and arranged to, deflect, said filling end forwardly and down"- first pick after transfer; I

wardly into said side delivery: eye during, said 4. An automatically threading shuttle for a bobbin changing loom having a bobbin receiving recess, a side delivery eye and a curved passage connecting said recess and said side delivery eye, said curved passage being arranged to receive an incoming filling end during the first pick after transfer of a bobbin thereto, a flexible guide member cooperating with the convex wall of said passage and arranged to deflect said filling end forwardly and downwardly into said side delivery eye during said first pick after transfer, and means for applying tension to said guide member.

5. An automatically threading shuttle for a bobbin changing loom having a bobbin receiving recess, a side delivery eye and front and rear curved walls forming a curved passage connecting said recess and said side delivery eye, said passage being arranged to receive an incoming filling end during the first pick after transfer of a bobbin thereto, a flexible wire anchored at one end in the body of the shuttle and engaging one of said curved walls substantially throughout its length and arranged to deflect the incoming filling end forwardly and downwardly into said side delivery eye during said first pick after transfer, and means to which the other end of said wire is secured and which is arranged to vary the tension of said wire against said wall.

6. An automaticall threading shuttle for bobbin changing looms having a recess in which a replaceable filling carrier is supported, a side delivery eye and a passage having a curved forward wall and connecting said recess and said side delivery eye, said passage being arranged to receive an incoming filling end during the first pick after transfer of a bobbin thereto, a flexible guide member anchored to the shuttle adjacent to the side delivery eye thereof and engaging said curved wall substantiall throughout its length and arranged to deflect said incoming filling end forwardly and downwardly into said side delivery eye during said first pick after transfer, and adjustable means for anchoring the other end of said flexible guide member and for varying the tension of said flexible guide member against said convex wall.

'7. An automatically threading shuttle for a bobbin changing loom having a bobbin receiving recess, a side delivery eye, and a thread passage connecting said recess and said side delivery eye and arranged to receive an incoming filling end during the first pick after transfer of a bobbin thereto, said passage being'curved and having substantially parallel curved walls, one of said walls being convex and forming a guiding surface for said filling end, parts located adjacent to each end of said passage and against which the filling runs during picking of the shuttle, a flexible wire guide member fixed at one end to said shuttle and bearing against said convex wall to deflect the filling'forwardly and downwardly into said side delivery eye during said first pick after transfer, and an adjusting screw threaded into the body of said shuttle and to which the other end of said flexible wire guide member is secured and which is arranged to vary the tension of said wire against said wall.

8. An automatically threading shuttle for a bobbin changing loom, said shuttle comprising a body having a recess in which a replaceable bobbin is supported and a side delivery eye, said shuttle having also a curved thread passage con-- necting said recess and said side delivery eye, the forward wall of said recess being convex and the rear wall being concave and substantially parallel to said forward wall, a flexible wire guiding member fixed at one end adjacent to one end of said rear wall of said passage and arranged to bear against said forward wall to deflect an incoming filling forwardly and downwardly into said side delivery eye during the first pick after transfer of a bobbin thereto, and means adjacent to the other end of the passage for anchoring the other end of said flexible wire guide member and for varying the tension of said wire guide member against said wall.

CARL D. BROWN. 

